2024 Gov Innovation Challenge & Pitchfest – United States

Deadline: 29 February 2024

Submissions are now open for the 2024 Gov Innovation Challenge & Pitchfest to improve the way governments support local entrepreneurs and residents.

This Pitchfest is designed to attract innovative startup solutions to share their ideas, meet key local government leaders, and compete to win a pilot opportunity with one or more of the five participating municipalities.

Goals & Objectives

This is a joint challenge of Richmond, VA; Los Altos Hills, CA; Miami Dade County, FL; Arlington County, VA; Houston, TX.
Successful solutions will address one or more of the following aspects of the challenge:
- Ecosystem Building – There are many local entities and resources that benefit business owners in the local communities. They are looking for solutions that can help government leaders map the local ecosystem of support, thoughtfully connect entrepreneurs, and track interactions. These solutions might make it easy for entrepreneurs to access the local ecosystem of support; foster collaboration between entrepreneurs; help governments collaborate regionally around shared resources and opportunities; and ensure language is not a barrier to navigating these resources.
- Access to Government Resources for Entrepreneurs & Residents – Creating a single front door for entrepreneurs and stakeholders to access all the relevant government information and resources, while streamlining the process for the government to respond to local business and stakeholder requests and needs. These solutions might include Public Records Requests, Permits, Service Requests, as well as access to funds and financing resources and better leverage existing government staff capacity.
- Workforce Development – Help local governments connect their workforce with the skills they need, the skilled workers with the jobs they need, and the businesses with the skilled employees they need. These solutions might include ways to help businesses matchmake with hard to find skills; support retaining employees; provide new entrepreneurs with business development skills; or support key business skills like office administration.
- Data for Impact & Decision-making – Economic development leaders in government need access to better data in order to understand their local entrepreneurs and track activity & impact across the ecosystem. These solutions might surface key data on economic development in the local region; help evaluate local government impacts on the overall local economy; provide regular feedback to decision-makers to help guide adjustments; and integrate with existing data systems.

What do I get if I win?

All participants selected to join the Pitchfest will be honored as “finalists”, get to present their solutions in front of leaders representing five municipalities, network with local government attendees and other startups. “Winners” of the Pitchfest will be those startups selected to participate in a PoC with a participating municipality.

Will the pilot/proof of concept be paid?

They encourage participating startups to identify ways they can offer a free or low-cost 15-30 day proof of concept (PoC) for the local government. Under certain circumstances, the government leader may elect to enter into a full contract right away or after a successful PoC.

Can I pitch virtually?